Ian Wright Details Marijuana-Smoking ‘Ritual,’ Potential Bankruptcy and More

Former Arsenal forward Ian Wright has lifted the lid on some of his troubled times as a footballer, including a close call with drug-testers after he’d been smoking marijuana.

In his new autobiography, A Life In Football, serialised in the Sun, the ex-England international revealed he came close to suffering a setback early in his career at Crystal Palace, as drug-testers entered the team dressing room after a 4-1 win over West Bromwich Albion. For the striker, this near miss was a big wake-up call:

It’s the first time I’d ever seen them and I panicked inside—I’ve been smoking cannabis, less than 24 hours earlier, and if that test comes back positive that’s it. It is literally all over for me.

I’m practically paralysed while trying to act unconcerned. The guy says: ‘Drug test, number nine.’ Mark Bright. I’m sure he’s going to call my number next, number ten. He calls, ‘Drug test, number 11.’ Phil Barber.

I sit down—more or less collapse—and think, ‘somebody’s looking out for me, now I know it!’ …From that day to this I never smoked a spliff again.

Wright said, as a 21-year-old breaking into the Eagles first team, he still had some bad habits at the time.

“I’d been around weed smokers from a very …

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